TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Surabaya Mayor, Tri Rismaharini, said that she will supervise the National Immunisation Week (PIN) to eradicate polio, which is set to take place in Semampir district in Surabaya between March 8-15, 2016.

The Head of Surabaya's Health Agency, Febria Rachmanita, said that children that had previously received the polio vaccine, will also be vaccinated along with children who had never received a shot of the vaccine. "Surabaya has 220,904 children under five years old - all are expected to join the vaccination program," she said at Surabaya's City Hall on Friday, March 4, 2016.

The vaccination will be done across 2,922 locations - and posts will be established at local and regional health centres, as well as in Surabaya's 35 malls, 405 kindergartens, four major train stations, 10 bus terminals and two ports. "We advise parents who has children aged between 0-59 months to take up the opportunity to help us eradicate polio in Surabaya," said Febria.

Home visits will also be done throughout the week - with squads deployed to vaccinate children who have failed to turn up in the immunisation posts and/or centres. "We have their data, so those who failed to turn up will be subjected to a home visit to be vaccinated," continued Febria.

In Surabaya, vaccination rate has failed to reach the 91 percent target set by the City administration - currently vaccination rates hover around the 80 percent mark. Extra attention will be given to the subdistricts of Babat Jerawat, Tembok Dukuh, Perak Utara, Pegirian, Sidotopo, Wonokusumo, Rangkah, Ploso, Kapas Madya Baru, Kali Rungkut, Rungkut Kidul, Semolowaru, Sawahan, Petemon, Ngagel Rejo and Margo Rejo, where resistance towards polio vaccination have been observed.

"The reason behind the low rates of vaccination in those subdistricts are rooted in misconceptions about vaccination - many parents are worried that their children will experience fevers following the shot," said Febria. "Parents need to realize that not all children will display symptoms after having received the vaccine."

MOHAMMAD SYARRAFAH